What’s the Best Soccer Gift You’ve Ever Received?

Not surprisingly, most of the soccer gifts I’ve received over the holidays since I was a young child have been soccer-related. As I’ve gotten older, they may have morphed from toys to video games to books, but it’s very rare that something soccer-related isn’t under the tree every year.

If I had to pick one soccer gift I’ve received which was my favorite, it has to be the leather ball I received when I was nine years old. It was the old-fashioned ball with black-and-white panels. It may have been the same model as the one pictured at right, which was used in the 1974 World Cup .But what I remember about it was the beautiful way it rolled across the grass, but also how heavy the ball became when it was wet. When it got in that state, the last thing you wanted to do was head the ball because it felt like a lead weight.

That one ball brought me and my friends hundreds of hours of entertainment, playing it on the grass at my local playground. We used jumpers as goalposts, and scored some spectacular goals those years. I miss that ball.

What about you? What’s the best soccer gift you’ve ever received? Share your personal stories in the comments section below.

About The Author

Publisher of World Soccer Talk, Christopher Harris founded the site in 2005. He has been interviewed by The New York Times, The Guardian and several other publications. Plus he has made appearances on NPR, BBC World, CBC, BBC Five Live, talkSPORT and beIN SPORT.
Harris, who was born and raised in Wales, has lived in Florida since 1984, and supported Swansea City since 1979. Last but not least, he got engaged during half-time of a MLS game.

Please re-read your first sentence. I would hope that the soccer gifts you’ve received have been soccer related. ROFLOL Thanks, Gaffer! I needed that laugh in the middle of the pre-Christmas craziness 😀

The best soccer gift I’ve ever received is my family actually watching a match with me–World Cup finals. Viva Espana!

Like you gaffer my best gift as an 8-year old was a leather football, not standard size but smaller and one used by 6-9 year-olds during weekend matches, and I was absolutely over the moon about it. After inflating it with air with the old-style air pump, my friends and I went to the nearest park to play and after about an hour the ball ended up on the road and a car drove over it and flattened it. It was unrepairable. My joy turned to tears at the sight of it. Needless to say my mom wasn’t too happy about it as she had spent good money for it. This was 1963. Very memorable.